


Variations

by dkwilliams



Category: The X-Files
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 07:38:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5039677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dkwilliams/pseuds/dkwilliams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mulder and Skinner look back on twenty years together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Variations

**Author's Note:**

> Another story from the vaults (I am moving all my stories from my personal website to Ao3 as part of a redesign.) Written for the Slash-Writer's List November Challenge in 2001 "I Remember it Well" and the End-of-Year Challenge "Variations on a Sex Scene" which was "Take a pair and write a variety of sex scenes in the same location in different moods and styles." The variations are listed in the end notes. The Scene: Fox Mulder and Walter Skinner are at Skinner's mountain cabin. On the deck outside, one of them kisses the other. Sex ensues with some of the action moving inside.
> 
> Also, I’ve tried to break just about every Mulder/Skinner "convention" I know, so be prepared for a different ride.

_"Life is like music;_

_It must be composed by ear, feeling, and instinct,_

_Not by rule."_

_\- Samuel Baker_

 

**Year 20 - Prelude**

 

The sky was crisp and clear, the temperature a bit on the cool side - hardly unusual for this time of year - but when he stood in the direct sunlight he hardly noticed the chill. In fact, after the heat of the city where summer still flexed its grip, the briskness of the autumn mountain air actually felt good. It made him feel younger than his seventy years, ready to take on anything. Maybe tomorrow he would go on a long walk through the woods. Or split some firewood. He smiled at that, wondering just how much of a fit his lover would have if he did. Not to mention their watchful protectors.

Walter Skinner looked out over the woods that stretched out from the back of the deck, enjoying the illusion of privacy. It was hard enough for them to find anytime and anywhere in this world, but here at least they could have the time and space to be together with a minimum of intrusion. And, as the years slipped by, he found that he treasured these moments more than ever.

The door from the house opened and he heard his husband crossing the deck toward him, the rhythm of his footsteps only slightly marred by a faint limp. Skinner made a mental note to remember to give the other man's leg a thorough rubdown that evening - the mountain chill must be affecting the old injury again. He felt a warm arm wrap around him and a gentle kiss on his cheek and leaned back against the strong body behind him.

"Walter. I've been looking for you."

Skinner turned his head slightly and smiled. "Congratulations - you found me. Want a prize?"

Mulder laughed out-loud, then winked suggestively. "Depends on the prize. Do I get to pick?"

"Definitely not - I know you too well. I'm not about to put on a free-show for all those agents out there pretending to be trees."

Mulder grinned, wrapping both arms around him now and nuzzling at the back of his neck. "You didn't used to be so particular."

"You didn't used to be so famous," Skinner said dryly.

Mulder sighed. "Insightful as always, Walter." With a last squeeze, he released his husband and dropped into a nearby chair. Skinner watched him run a hand through hair that was still thick although considerably grayer around the temples than it had been the first time they had come up here together. "God, it feels good to be here! Why don't we just sell the house in town and move?"

"You wouldn't feel the same way when the place got snowed in and you couldn’t get take-out food," Skinner said dryly.

Mulder grinned and jerked his thumb in the direction of their silent watchers. "Isn't that what _they_ are here for?"

"Oh, yeah, I can just see you explaining to the Director why her men are shoveling our driveway and running out for Chinese food."

"I can handle Scully."

"Fine. Just let me make sure that her gun is unloaded first."

Mulder laughed and held out his hand, and Skinner took it in his own, pulling the younger man up and into his arms. Mulder's arms went around him again, his head resting on Skinner's shoulder with a satisfied sigh. Skinner wrapped his arms tightly around the man he loved above everything, cherishing the vital warmth in his arms.

"Mulder," he said softly. "Remember the first time we came up here?"

Mulder snorted and Skinner grinned at that. It wasn't a romantic sound but it was so like his lover that he found it endearing. "Yeah. You were such a chicken-shit, I had to back you into a corner and seduce you."

Skinner laughed and nuzzled his lover's neck. "That's not how I remember it."

"Of course not. You probably think that you swooped me up into your big, manly arms and carried me off to the bedroom where you thoroughly ravished my helpless body."

Skinner couldn't help teasing Mulder, pulling back so he could look into the younger man's face. "And didn't I?"

"Of course not," Mulder said promptly, and then grinned. "That was our second date." He leaned forward to kiss Skinner's lips gently. "You were a chicken-shit," he repeated. "You were hiding out here in the dark and I came looking for you. Remember?"

Skinner smiled softly. "How could I ever forget, babe? It was the day that my entire life changed."

 

* * *

 

**Year 1: Fugue for Bass and Tenor**

The plan had seemed so simple when he thought it up: neither he nor Mulder were doing anything for Thanksgiving so he had invited Mulder up to his cabin over the long weekend. Nothing special planned, just a little hiking, maybe fishing, a little conversation and a chance to get to know each other as friends outside the office. Mulder had studied him silently after he issued the invitation, a long minute that made Skinner uncomfortably certain that the younger man had somehow guessed his secret desire for the lanky agent. Then Mulder had agreed, had asked him what to bring to contribute to the feast, and had shown up Thursday morning laden with groceries and overnight bag.

Mulder had been the perfect guest: admiring the cabin and its surrounding woodlands, appreciative of Skinner’s cooking, helpful in the cleanup afterward. Except…except that Skinner was aware of a certain something in the younger man’s eyes when he looked at the AD. A certain something that made his pulse speed up. It was what he had wanted – so why was he suddenly panicked? Why was he hiding out here on the deck in the cold instead of sitting inside enjoying the warm fire – and Mulder?

He heard the door to the cabin open and his heart began racing. Trying to remain calm, he stayed where he was, looking out over the moonlit woods.

"Walter? I’ve been looking for you."

Skinner turned slightly and smiled. "Congratulations. You found me – want a prize?"

Mulder smiled back, his eyes warm. "Depends on the prize. Do I get to pick?"

Skinner flushed at the subtle implication and held up an unopened bottle of beer. "Only one prize to the customer."

Mulder accepted it as he joined Skinner at the rail, popping open the bottle and swallowing a third of it. He leaned his back against the rail and Skinner could sense the younger man studying him.

"So what are you doing?"

Skinner smiled again, gesturing out at the woods. "Isn’t it obvious? I’m communing with nature."

Mulder laughed at that and sipped on his beer, then shook his head. "You’ve been avoiding me for the past hour."

"I’m not – "

"Yes, you are."

A warm hand was laid on his sleeve. He turned his head and found those hazel eyes were looking at him that way again. His pulse began to race and he suddenly seemed to have trouble breathing. Mulder leaned towards him, his eyes fixed on Skinner’s mouth.

"Tell me to stop and I will."

Skinner opened his mouth to tell Mulder to stop, that he had made a mistake, but before he could speak he was silenced by Mulder’s mouth. He felt the warmth against his own lips, sweet and welcoming, and he fell into the blissful heat of it with a groan. Strong arms wound around him, holding him closer, and he slid his own arms around Mulder’s body. The kiss went on and on, and he felt light-headed from lack of oxygen but he didn’t care. A hand caressed the back of his head, keeping him from pulling away even if he had wanted to, while the other hand slid down his back. He groaned at that and slid his own hands down to cup the other man’s ass, pulling their bodies closer together.

A soft laugh against his lips and Mulder murmured, "It’s cold out here. Let’s go inside." And his brain had clearly disengaged because he mutely let Mulder take his hand and lead him back inside the house without a protest.

He had half-expected Mulder to lead him to his bedroom or the guestroom Mulder was using, but the younger man stopped in front of the fireplace and took him back into his arms again. Skinner went eagerly, hungry to taste that mouth again and feel the man’s vibrant warmth in his arms, and it was even better the second time. He sank into the delicious warmth, concentrating on exploring and possessing the mouth that responded so eagerly to his kisses.

He felt the laugh and the mouth under his curling into a smile and pulled back to return that smile. "What?"

"You," Mulder said with a grin that was just this side of insolence. "Who knew that you were so passionate underneath all those starched shirts?"

"Shut up, Mulder, and kiss me again."

Mulder complied willingly, and this time it was Skinner who laughed. "What?"

"Who knew that you could follow a direct order?"

Mulder grinned. "I just haven’t had the right incentive." He started unbuttoning Skinner’s flannel shirt, dispensing kisses to each new bit of flesh revealed. "I can be very obedient given the right circumstances."

It was heaven, it was torture, and Skinner groaned under the intensity of want and need that filled him. "Such as?" he asked breathlessly.

"Well, if you said ‘take off my shirt, Mulder’, for example."

Skinner felt light-headed again, unable to believe that this was really happening. "Take off my shirt, Mulder."

Mulder slid the shirt off the older man's shoulders, baring him to the waist, his fingers gliding over Skinner’s chest and abdomen in teasing exploration. Skinner suppressed a moan, trying to concentrate on what those long, skillful fingers were doing. This was obviously a delusion, a dream, and when he woke up he wanted to remember every touch, every taste, every word.

"And then you might ask me to take off your pants."

"Take – take off my pants."

Skillful hands were unbuttoning his fly now, releasing the pressure from the cloth that confined him. As hands eased tight jeans down over his hips, he felt warm breath move over the cloth still encasing his cock and his breath caught in his throat.

"Mulder…" The groan escaped him before he could stop himself and he heard another low laugh.

"Easy, Walter. Give me a moment."

And Skinner would have given the man anything he wanted – a moment, his signature on a 302, his life’s blood – anything just so that he wouldn’t stop now. Warm fingers were sliding his briefs down, pushing them down to join his jeans in a pool around his ankles and he closed his eyes tightly, fear and longing raging within him.

"Walter."

The voice was warm and understanding and he opened his eyes, looking down - and nearly came on the spot. Mulder was kneeling before him, his face level with Skinner’s erection, his eyes locking with Skinner’s. He shivered under the intensity of the expression in the hazel eyes, eyes that seemed to know him and his deepest needs and desires. And there was no point in hiding anymore - Mulder knew, had always known, and it was all right.

"Mulder." He whispered the name this time, a plea for help.

"Ask me, Walter," Mulder said, his voice soft but commanding. "Just ask."

"Please – suck me. Please."

Mulder smiled, and it was like watching a slow dawning sunrise. Skinner couldn’t look away. The younger man wrapped his right hand around the base of Skinner’s cock, holding it but not stroking it. His tongue stretched out, delicately touching the tip of the older man’s cock, and Skinner felt his knees go weak. Before he could do more than draw in a gasping breath, a hot mouth had completely engulfed his cock. His head exploded, his knees buckled, and only the strong arms of his lover kept him from falling on his face.

He fell on his ass instead, eased into a controlled fall by the man embracing his legs. Mulder didn’t stop for a moment, kneeling on the bunched clothing around Skinner’s ankles, his hands braced on either side of Skinner’s hips, his mouth continuing to ravish the older man’s cock. Skinner’s hands scrabbled for something to hold onto, anything, and clutched at the braided rug underneath him like a drowning man clinging to a spar. He _was_ drowning, drowning in the warmth of that skilled mouth doing things to him that he had only dreamed of and longed for. And the reality was so much better than the fantasy that he thought he would probably die from his release.

He came harder than ever before in his entire life, screaming Mulder’s name out loud as his entire body seemed to explode. Lights danced before his eyes and, for a second, he thought he would pass out completely. He held onto his senses fiercely, not willing to miss even one minute, and was rewarded with the return of sound and touch. Mulder's mouth was still moving over him, gentler now, cleaning him up carefully with a kind of purring satisfaction that would have made Skinner laugh if he had been able to catch his breath.

As he felt the younger man move away from him, Skinner drew a shuddering breath and opened his eyes. Mulder was stretched out alongside him, head propped on his elbow, studying him with an unreadable expression on his face. Skinner reached out a hand, vaguely pleased that it didn’t shake, and touched the younger man’s cheek, trying to convey his thanks. Mulder smiled back, one of his rare, genuine smiles, and Skinner felt as if his heart would burst.

He started to sit up, intending to return the favor, but Mulder shook his head and pushed him back down. The younger man efficiently stripped off Skinner's remaining clothes and then stood up, toeing off his shoes as he pulled his sweatshirt over his head. Skinner’s breath caught at the sight of the bare chest with just a sprinkling of hair leading a faint dark path down to the waistband, and he thought his heart would stop as he watched those long and skillful fingers move down to toy with the button on the jeans. He growled as he recognized that Mulder was deliberately teasing him and the younger man laughed.

"Patience, Walter."

"Patience my ass," he growled.

Mulder grinned. "And a nice ass it is. Did you know that your ass is on the list of DC sights not to be missed?"

"Mulder…please." Words died in his throat as the younger man relented and quickly stripped off both jeans and boxers together. Mulder stood naked in the fire’s light, and Skinner thought that he had never seen anything so incredible in his life.

"God," he whispered. "You are so beautiful."

Mulder smiled at that, shaking his head, and joined Skinner back on the floor. "You're the one who's beautiful," Mulder murmured, running his fingers once again over Skinner's chest and down his abdomen. "Haven't you seen the way everyone stares at you at the office? If you posed for a beefcake calendar, the national debt would be solved."

Skinner shook his head, smiling. "You're delusional, Mulder."

"And this is supposed to be news?"

Skinner reached out to touch the other man, running his fingers over smooth, warm skin. "So smooth. I like that. I like this, too." He leaned over to kiss Mulder again.

"Walter." Skinner looked up to see Mulder looking at him with a curious expression on his face. "This was what you had planned when you invited me up here, wasn't it?"

Skinner flushed. "I didn't _plan_ \- I hoped, but I didn't know if you were interested in men - in me."

"You've never done this before, have you?" Skinner wordlessly shook his head. "I'm flattered - but why me? Why now?"

Skinner drew a deep breath. "I've wanted you for a long time. I was just too much of a - " He searched for the appropriate word.

"Chicken shit?" Mulder asked with a grin.

"Asshole," Skinner retorted.

Mulder laughed and leaned over to kiss him. "You sweet talker, you."

Skinner growled and rolled, pinning the younger man under him. Mulder grinned up at him, unrepentant, wrapping his hands around Skinner's head and pulling him down for a slow, intense kiss. Skinner fell into the headiness of his lover's kiss, only breaking off as he became aware of the hardness of the other man's unrelieved erection against his abdomen.

"You got a little problem here," he murmured against Mulder's skin as his lips moved across the younger man's face.

"Little? I think I've been insulted." Mulder rocked up against the body pinning him down, seeking some kind of friction.

"Don't do that," Skinner said, pausing to press kisses along Mulder's collarbone. "I want you to fuck me." Mulder stilled under him and Skinner raised his head to meet the other man's eyes, seeing the look of shock in them. "What? Don't you want to?"

"Don't I _want_ to?" Mulder asked in disbelief. "Are you crazy? I've wanted your ass for _years_. I just didn't think you'd let me do that. I figured I'd be the bottom."

Skinner returned to kissing the warm skin underneath him, moving down to worry a nipple with his tongue. "I expect you'll get plenty of opportunity for that, but I want you to do it to me first."

"Show you the ropes, so to speak?" Mulder's voice was breathless, his mind stunned by the promise implicit in that statement that he'd "get plenty of opportunity".

"That, too - later." He felt the slight shake of laughter in the body under his and lifted his head to look at Mulder again. "What?"

"I think I'm in shock. And I'm trying to figure out what you did with the real Walter Skinner."

Skinner just grinned back at him, his face relaxed and his brown eyes warm with humor, and Mulder thought it was the most erotic thing he had ever seen. But then, he had always thought of humor as an aphrodisiac. "You'll find the pod in the crawl space."

"That's it," Mulder said firmly, rolling them so that Skinner was on his back with the younger man straddling him. "You’re obviously an impostor, so we're going to do this before the real Skinner comes back and kills me." He got up and headed towards the stairs.

Startled, Skinner sat up and watched his lover's ass disappear up the stairs. He was gone for a few minutes, returning with several items in his hand and an impudent grin on his face. Skinner stared in disbelief at the box of condoms and tube of lubricant that Mulder tossed onto the floor next to him.

"I see you came prepared."

Mulder's grin widened. "I dated a Boy Scout leader once." He settled back down on the floor and picked up the tube of lubricant. "It was this or the bottle of virgin olive oil in your kitchen. Appropriate but messy."

Skinner recognized that Mulder was trying to defuse the tension with humor and, if the truth were known, he could use it. His heart had begun to race again. "Oh, very funny, Mulder." Skinner picked up the box of condoms and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't we being overly optimistic here, Mulder?"

"Well, Walter, if you don't think you have the stamina to keep up with me…"

"I'll show you stamina," Skinner growled, pulling Mulder back down to cover him and kissing him demandingly. Mulder gave in for a moment, then pushed back to kiss his way down Skinner’s body. Ignoring the returning erection, he placed a kiss on each inner thigh before pressing Skinner’s knees towards his chest. The older man gripped his knees to hold them back out of the way, glad to have something to hold onto as one lubricated finger gently circled his anal opening.

"Relax, Walter," Mulder murmured, leaning over to kiss the older man. "This is going to be good, but you need to relax."

Skinner consciously willed his body to relax and felt the curious sensation of one finger sliding into him, past the outer muscle and waiting passively while the older man’s body accustomed itself to its presence. Once the inner muscle relaxed, Mulder slid his finger all the way in to the base and began gently stroking and stretching, sliding the finger slowly in and out.

"Still with me, Walter?" he asked, amused by the look of concentration on the older man’s face.

"Yes…" Skinner managed to say. His brain seemed to have been diverted further south, along with all his blood. "Good…didn’t know…"

"It gets better." Mulder added in another finger and Skinner arched up at the additional feeling of fullness, trying to press further down on his fingers. Mulder chuckled as he leaned over to kiss Skinner again. "You are so hot for this. So fucking hot."

"Yes," Skinner moaned, moving frantically as he tried to get more inside him. "God – Mulder – more – "

The pleading tone in Skinner’s voice and the sight of the older man humping himself on Mulder’s fingers went straight to Mulder’s cock. He pulled out his fingers gently, silencing Skinner’s protest.

"I need you to roll over, Walter. It’ll be easier on you for your first time."

Skinner nodded wordlessly, willing to do anything Mulder suggested, and rolled over onto his hands and knees. Quickly preparing himself, Mulder pressed gently against the opening with his cock while reaching between them to touch on a certain spot behind Skinner’s balls, stroking the prostate from outside. Skinner gasped at the shock of pleasurable sensation that rolled through him, involuntarily pressing backward and relaxing in the same moment. Mulder slid forward easily then stopped, letting Skinner’s body take the time to accept him as a welcome visitor rather than an intruder. His hand slid around to grasp Skinner’s cock and the flagging erection began to revive. Skinner moaned and began to rock against the knowledgeable hand stroking him so surely.

Mulder caught his breath as the rocking motion pressed Skinner more deeply onto his cock and nearly came on the spot. It had been too long since he had been with a lover and the feeling of the tight heat around his cock was almost too much. Desperately, he forced himself to think of other things until he could control himself.

Skinner was still under him and he leaned forward to press kisses along the muscled back below him. "You okay?"

"No," Skinner gasped. "Gonna die if you don’t do _something_."

Mulder chuckled and nipped at Skinner’s neck. "You are so pushy."

"Mulder…" Anything else he was going to say was lost as Mulder began to move, sliding almost completely out before moving back in again. Skinner caught his breath at the sheer pleasure that filled him, acknowledging that he had been wrong. He had been certain that the blowjob was going to kill him but now he knew that this was.

Mulder pumped in and out of his lover’s body, steadily increasing his pace as he felt his climax spiraling upward. One corner of his mind was aware of the constant litany of pleasured moans and pleas coming from the man below him, amused at how vocal the usually controlled Skinner was during sex. He was close, so close now, and he increased the stroking of his lover’s cock, bringing him along quickly. And his lover was suddenly crying out and jerking roughly under him, and it was too good and he couldn’t stop himself. He slammed in once, then again, and felt himself explode into the warmth surrounding him as he shouted his pleasure.

Skinner collapsed onto the floor and Mulder retained enough presence of mind to keep from following him down. Easing himself out of his quiescent lover’s body, he padded into the bathroom to dispose of the condom and returned with a warm washcloth. Skinner was still lying face down on the floor and Mulder knelt beside him, concerned when the older man didn’t move as he was cleaned up.

"Walter? You okay?"

"No," came the muffled response, and for a moment Mulder’s heart stopped beating. "I’m better than okay." Skinner managed to roll himself onto his back with a groan.

Mulder’s grin lit up his face, and Skinner thought that he would willingly risk death from heart attack again to see that smile. "So – are we okay, too? Are you – would you like to – "

Skinner reached up to pull his tongue-tied lover down on top of him, kissing him. "We are. I am. And I’d definitely like to."

Mulder smiled and returned the kiss. "Good." He snagged a blanket from the couch and pulled it over them before snuggling down and settling Skinner’s head onto his shoulder. "I’d like to, too. For a long, long time."

* * *

 

**Year 2: Badinerie**

Skinner caught him a footstep away from the door and safety, spinning him and pinning him against the wall. A hot mouth ravished Mulder's, robbing him of breath, but it didn't seem to matter. It was much more important to kiss Skinner back and wind his arms tightly around his lover's waist. However, when he felt his favorite shirt ripped open from neck to navel, he was moved to protest.

"Walter! That's my favorite - ouch!"

Skinner licked the bite he had inflicted even as he growled, "Serves you right for teasing me."

Mulder chuckled. "But you usually like it when I tease you."

"Not when I'm driving and can't do anything about it," Skinner pointed out. "You've been making me crazy for the past hour - and the things you were doing with your mouth - " Skinner's hands were busy unfastening Mulder's pants and shoving them down to his knees. He followed them down, talking Mulder's aroused cock into his mouth with a suddenness that made Mulder's knees buckle. Skinner caught him, easing him to the ground before skinning the pants off him.

Mulder lay panting on the deck, looking up at his lover's face, which he could see clearly in the light - light? He turned his head and realized that the car headlights were still on and highlighting his lover's face against the midnight darkness of the cabin. He growled and pulled Skinner down onto him.

"Want you," he gasped, rubbing up against his lover's clothed crotch. " _Now_."

" _Yes_." Skinner reached a hand between them, unbuttoning and unzipping, shoving his pants roughly out of the way before pressing back down along Mulder's body. Mulder hooked a leg up around his lover's waist, pulling him closer.

"God, Walter!" he gasped as their bodies surged and rocked together. "More! Need more!"

Skinner pulled back onto his knees. He grasped Mulder's cock firmly and stroked his lover until the younger man came in his hand with a gasp and a moan, then pushed Mulder's knees back against his chest. Rapidly coating himself with the semen in his hand, he ascertained with one finger that Mulder was relaxed and ready, and then sank into his lover with a single thrust.

"Yes!" Mulder groaned, hooking his legs around Walter's waist and thrusting his body hard against his lover's cock. "So good - "

"Yes," Skinner growled. He began thrusting into his lover, hard enough to rock Mulder back against the surface of the deck. The younger man was howling in fierce abandon and meeting him thrust for thrust, and he could feel the cock trapped between their bodies swelling. His own climax was so close, so close, and then he was coming hard, roaring in his release. He heard Mulder shouting as well as the younger man came for the second time that night.

Skinner collapsed on the body of his lover, too weak to do more than catch himself on his elbows so he didn't squash Mulder. He felt arms and legs wrap around his body and heart a soft, breathless laugh.

"Walter, you're an animal."

He laughed in return. "And you love that about me."

There was contented silence for a moment, a last savoring of intimacy before separating.

"Walter?" The voice was low and rich with mischief.

"Mulder?" He lifted his head cautiously, peering down into Mulder's face.

"Does this mean that you want me to tease you again next week?"

Skinner grinned. "Only if you want me to take you over the hood of the car on the side of the road."

"Oh." Contented silence for another moment and Skinner seriously began considering the disadvantages of cold air on exposed buttocks as opposed to the advantages of a warm lover underneath him. On the other hand, there was a fireplace inside and a long lazy night of necking beckoned. He sighed and withdrew, hitching his pants back up to fasten them.

Mulder lay on his back still, eyes half-closed and a smile on his face. The remnants of his shirt lay splayed out around him, his pants were lost somewhere in the darkness of the deck. A dreamy smile curved his lips as he stroked a hand over his sticky belly.

"You know…"

His sultry voice caught Skinner as he started toward the car to turn off the lights and fetch their bags.

"You know, it might just be worth it."

This time, he almost made it to the bedroom.

* * *

 

**Year 3 - Angst Obbligato**

It started from a misunderstanding. No, it started from his insecurity. After all, why on earth would a man who looked like Mulder want to spend time with an aging, balding bureaucrat who made stick-in-the-muds look frivolous? Add that to the fact that they couldn't reveal their relationship to anyone except Scully and it was enough to make any man depressed. And worried when his lover canceled their regular weekend get-away. And suspicious when Mulder stopped talking on his cell phone when he saw Skinner nearby. And green-eyed jealous when he caught sight of Mulder talking and laughing with a good-looking stranger across a table in a restaurant the same night that he turned down Skinner's dinner invitation.

Mulder hadn't seen him - that much was clear this evening. The younger man had arrived at the cabin, a cheerful grin on his face and his overnight bag in hand. Skinner had exploded in his lover's face, accusing Mulder of cheating on him - hadn't even let Mulder get in a word edgewise. Not that Mulder had tried to speak. He had just stood there, his face getting tighter and more expressionless, until Skinner had wound down. Then he had put his hand into his pocket, pulled out a small wrapped package, and tossed it at Skinner. When Skinner looked at him, puzzled, Mulder had said, "Happy second anniversary," and walked out the back door.

Skinner sat in the living room for an hour, staring at the tickets to the Superbowl in his hand. It was only then that he remembered Mulder mentioning that he had a cousin in the sports-casting industry, a cousin who occasionally came through DC and could get him tickets to prime events. He drew in a deep breath and decided that he had better go looking for his lover, that it was time to eat some humble pie - if he could even get the younger man to speak to him again.

He opened the door to the deck and saw a silhouetted shape in the light spilling out from the open door.

"Fox?" he said hesitantly. "I’ve been looking for you."

"Congratulations," Mulder said sarcastically. "You found me – want a prize?" He walked away from Skinner, heading down the stairs towards the yard.

"Mulder." Skinner grabbed Mulder's arm to keep him from leaving. "Would you listen to me for a minute - "

"Seems to me that you said everything that you had to say inside." Mulder tried to pull free.

"I'm sorry - I lost my head and said things I didn't mean - "

Mulder shook off his hand. "Hell, Walter, maybe you're right about me. Maybe I go cruising the bars at night, picking up men for a quick fuck. Maybe I let them pick _me_ up."

"Stop it, Mulder."

"Don't you want to hear all about it, Walter? You seem to have a good imagination from what I heard tonight. Don't you like to picture me being fucked by some stranger, having their hands running over my body, pounding into me till I scream?"

"Mulder, shut up!"

Mulder's voice caught but Skinner couldn't tell whether it was with tears or anger. "Damn it, Walter. I wasn’t a virgin when I met you but I wasn’t a slut, either. Why is it so easy for you to think I'd do something like that to you? Why can't you trust me?"

Skinner grabbed the younger man, kissing him ruthlessly to stop him from talking. Mulder struggled in his arms before finally pushing him away and then punching him in the face. Skinner fell back against the railing and his lover stormed into the house, grabbing his bag and heading towards the door. The whole cabin seemed to shake as the door slammed behind him.

Skinner slid down the post to end up sitting on the deck, his legs stretched out in front of him, hearing the slamming of the door echo through his mind and into his soul. Mulder was gone. The best thing that had ever happened to him, and he had ruined it with his doubts and his jealousy.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, fighting the urge to bang his head against the post until the screaming inside his head stopped. His breath seemed caught in his lungs, unable to make it past the large lump in his throat. He could feel the dampness on his cheeks but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except for the searing ache inside, the gaping hole that was sucking in each breath, each thought, each beat of his heart. He wondered why it continued beating when there was nothing left but emptiness and pain.

Vaguely, he was aware that the rain that had been threatening to fall all day had started, a slow drizzle that mirrored the salty moisture on his face. Part of him, the sensible part, said that he should get up and go inside, change into dry clothes, put away the groceries. But he couldn't make himself care enough to move.

"Here. Hold this against your chin."

The voice was quiet, so quiet that Skinner could almost believe he had imagined it. But the lumpy, cold plastic pressed against his bruised face was too real. He opened his eyes slowly and saw Mulder crouched in front of him, his hair haloed with dark rainbows, his changeable eyes dark and serious as they looked into his own. With a painful lurch, his heart began to beat again.

"Mulder?" he said, his eyes drinking in the sight before him, hardly daring to believe.

"Jesus, Walter, don't you have enough sense to come in out of the rain?"

"Mulder," he repeated.

Mulder's lip twisted in a wry smile. "Is that all you can say? Did you hit your head when you fell?"

"You came back."

Mulder looked away from him, down at his hands. "Yeah."

"I thought - I thought you were gone. Forever."

"Are you kidding? And leave you with my Superbowl ticket?"

The sun seemed to have suddenly burst out in the middle of the night and there were rainbows everywhere. Skinner reached out towards Mulder and was vaguely surprised to find that he was holding a bag of frozen peas. He stared at it with a frown.

"Peas, Mulder?"

"Yeah, well it was all that we had. No way was I wasting good steak on that face."

Skinner made a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob and dropped the bag onto the deck, reaching out for Mulder again. The younger man came into his arms and, if Mulder was not completely at ease, at least he was receptive to the humble apologies expressed in not only words but in gentle kisses. With infinite tenderness, Skinner made love to the man who held his heart so firmly in his hands, trying to convey with each touch and word and kiss, with each act of love, the depth of his passion and need for the man he held in his arms. And afterwards, as Skinner lay on the couch, blanketed by his exhausted lover and a down comforter, the gentle lullaby of the rain lulled him to sleep with a subtle promise of forever.

* * *

 

**Year 4 - Nocturne and Aubade**

 

_Movement 1 - Nocturne for Two Voices_

"Fox? I've been looking for you?"

"Congratulations. You found me - want a prize?"

"I think I've got one right here."

"God - Walter - " breathlessly. "You sure are good at that."

"That's not the only thing I'm good at."

"Ohhhh…oh, yeah…Walter…"

"Like that?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you're talking too much, but I know how to fix that."

"Jesus, Walter!" "O God! O yeah!" "Yes - like that - ohhhh…" "Just - like - that - oh, yes! Yes! WALTER!!!"

"God, Walter."

"Liked that, babe?"

"Mmm."

"You'd better sit down before you fall down, Mulder."

"Too much trouble. Carry me?"

"Idiot."

"Come on - I've got a nice fire going inside."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

 

_Movement 2: Aubade for Instruments_

Mulder woke in the early morning, aware of the hardness of the floor under him and the warmth of the body next to him. A smile crossed his face as he recalled the previous evening. His lover had surprised him by nearly sucking his brains out through his dick out on the deck, turning Mulder into putty by the time he was done. He had managed to stagger into the house afterward, aided by Skinner, and collapsed on the floor in front of the fireplace. Skinner had fetched a quilt and pillows from the bed, stripped down to briefs, and settled down with him. They had snuggled together as they talked softly and watched the flames dance in the fireplace. Mulder must have fallen asleep at some point and, rather than leave him alone, Skinner had chosen to sleep here with him.

Mulder rolled over to face his lover, careful not to awaken the sleeping man, and smiled. Asleep, Skinner looked vulnerable and younger than his years. He reached out with one finger to softly trace the planes of his lover's face, noting with sorrow the new lines around the older man's face. Lines put there by the increasing stress of working against the Consortium and the Colonists, lines not relieved by the charade they had to play when they were back in the city, of pretending they were nothing more than boss and subordinate. He longed to be able to ease his lover's worries, to be with him daily instead of catching what time they could here at the cabin.

He leaned over to kiss his lover's lips, gently, not demanding anything from the sleeping man. His tongue slipped out to lick the firm bottom lip, softly and caressingly before he pressed another kiss against lips that were suddenly responsive and moving against his.

He opened his eyes and saw that Skinner was awake, opening his mouth to speak. Mulder placed one finger over the older man's lips, shaking his head, then moved back in to continue kissing his lover. His tongue slid easily into the other man's mouth, feeling the welcome as Skinner deepened the kiss. Arms slid around to pull him closer and he went willingly. He slid a leg between his lover's legs, felt the heavy warmth of a thickening cock against his thigh and the answering response of his own. His hands slid around his lover's body to slide off the briefs and then cup the tight ass, pulling their bodies closer together.

Skinner groaned and broke the kiss, his mouth moving to press kisses over Mulder's face. Mulder shifted, rolling Skinner onto his back and following him to straddle the warm thighs, twin erections brushing against each other and making both men groan in sudden need. The younger man stretched out a hand, searching under the edge of the couch for the tube of lubricant he had stashed there, and secured it with a muffled cry of triumph. Muffled because Skinner had once again captured his mouth, his kisses demanding attention.

He pulled away, sitting upright on his lover's thighs and opened the tube, liberally coating his fingers before twisting around to slide one into his ass. Skinner watched in amazement as the younger man’s eyes slid shut and his head fell backward, giving himself up to blissful abandonment as he fucked himself with first one finger and then two, stretched himself and preparing his ass to receive Skinner’s cock. It was so erotic, so beautiful, and it was all for him.

Mulder removed his fingers, his hands going back to caress Skinner’s cock, then Mulder was shifting up onto his knees and angling his body, pressing downward with a slow and even thrust. Skinner caught his breath again at the intensity of the tight heat wrapped around his erection and reached up blindly. Mulder came into his arms, kissing him tenderly before sitting back up and starting to move. Slowly at first, lifting his body up and then sliding back down, Mulder moved to a rhythm that only he could hear, taking his lover along with him as they spiraled upward in ever-increasing need. Skinner’s hands wouldn’t stay still, roaming over his lover’s body to caress a muscled thigh, a taut stomach, a pebbled nipple before closing on his lover’s cock. Mulder groaned at that, arching into his touch and moving faster, and Skinner’s hand kept pace with his thrusts.

Mulder was thrusting down hard now, shaking with the intensity of his need for release, and Skinner thought that he might die if he didn’t come soon. He licked his fingers and pinched one of Mulder’s nipples. That was all it took; Mulder convulsed and shot his release across his lover’s stomach, and the clenching of his internal muscles was enough to push Skinner over the edge as well.

Mulder collapsed onto his lover’s chest, oblivious to everything but the need to burrow into the warmth under him as he recovered what remained of his mind. Skinner tugged the blanket back over them, then wrapped his arms around the younger man and closed his eyes. The morning would have to wait.

* * *

 

**Year 5: Allemande and Courante**

 

"Walter? I’ve been looking for you."

Skinner drew a deep breath, turning to give his lover a tentative smile. "You found me. Want a prize?"

Mulder slid his arms around his lover, smiling at him. "I thought I already had one."

"I don’t know if it’s much of a prize. Why you would want to tie yourself to an aging, balding – "

"Don’t you start that again, Walter Skinner." Mulder gave him a mock glare. "What’s the matter? Getting cold feet? I swear, Walter, if you dump me at the altar, I **’** ll get my hired muscle to take you out back and rough you up."

"Give Scully a break, Mulder – it’s her day off."

Mulder grinned at that. "Admit it, though – the thought scares you."

"Which – getting married or Scully roughing me up?"

"Either. Both."

Skinner drew a deep breath. "I haven’t got the best record with relationships."

"And I have?"

"I’m almost ten years older than you."

"Says who. And it’s not the years, it’s the mileage."

"If They find out – "

"They probably already know, Walter. I imagine that Cancerman has glossies decorating his walls. I just hope they caught my best side."

"I’ve got these things in my blood."

"And I’ve got different things in mine. Next argument?"

Skinner frowned. "I’m not trying to start an argument."

"Too bad," Mulder murmured, moving back in to nuzzle his neck. "Make-up sex is great. Although I hear that honeymoon sex has its good points, too."

Skinner had to laugh at that. "You’re crazy."

"Oh, I don’t know about that. Not so crazy that I don’t know a good thing when I’ve got it." He kissed Skinner gently, then straightened his lover’s tie and took his hand. "Come on – our public awaits, and I promised to make an honest man out of you."

 

_Four Hours Later_

The party had been going strong for a couple hours and Skinner saw with amusement that most of the remaining guests were slightly the worse for wear. Luckily, he had thought ahead and made up the bed in the spare room for Scully. The rest would have to make due with the couch or blankets on the floor, and the weather was mild enough for sleeping on the deck. Fortunately, the guest list had been small and several had already left for home. Kim, his assistant, had been the latest to leave and had gotten teary-eyed as she hugged him and wished them well.

Still, among the happy celebrants, one was missing. The most important one, the official other half of his life.

He opened the door to the deck and smiled as he saw a familiar silhouette in the dark. Closing the door behind him, he crossed the deck.

"Mulder? I’ve been looking for you."

Mulder grinned at him and Skinner could see that he was nearly as wasted as their remaining guests. "Congrats – you found me. Wanna prize?" Without waiting for a reply, Mulder slid into Skinner’s arms, nuzzling him.

Skinner groaned as Mulder’s sharp teeth nipped at his neck. "What’re you doing?"

Mulder laughed softly. "Isn’t it obvious? Just how drunk are you, Walter?"

"Not as drunk as you." He suppressed a gasp as Mulder slid down his body, his hands caressing the older man’s chest the whole way down before deft fingers located buttons and zippers.

Skinner gasped. "Fox – " He groaned as warm fingers pulled out his cock and an even warmer mouth surrounded it. "Are you crazy? We’ve got guests! Anyone could walk out at any minute."

"Then you’d better be quiet," Mulder said with an impish grin. "Besides, we’re newlyweds. Everyone expects this kind of behavior." His mouth went back to work and Skinner grabbed at the railing for balance.

"Not from me!" he gasped.

Mulder ignored him, his mouth taking it in deep and expertly wringing suppressed groans from Skinner as one of his lover’s hands played with his balls. Skinner felt his pants slide to his knees but he didn’t care anymore. All that mattered was the man kneeling before him, the man who had taken in his lonely heart and given it a home.

He felt the inevitable rush through his body, the sensations so intense that it was part bliss and part pain to give in to them. And Mulder was humming happily as he swallowed, and Skinner wanted to laugh out loud at that but it was hard enough to concentrate on breathing at the moment.

Dazedly, he felt himself being turned to face the railing and, as understanding seeped back in, he pressed back against the man behind him. "God, Mulder – _yes_."

He felt the warmth of the slick thickness pressing into him and pushed back again, sheathing his lover’s cock within him. His lover’s clothed body was pressed tightly along his spine and along the back of his bare thighs, and he shivered. The image of his lover, fully dressed except for the cock jutting out of his pants and buried deep within Skinner, was so erotic that he could feel a flicker of interest in his own spent cock. He closed his eyes and imagined someone coming upon them unexpectedly, pictured himself shielded from view by his lover’s body but leaving no doubt as to what was happening as his lover thrust deeply into him again and again. He groaned and reached one hand back to grasp his lover’s – his husband’s – head and pull it against his shoulder. The feel of teeth biting him through his shirt nearly made him scream with ecstasy, and he bucked back hard against the cock possessing him.

Mulder groaned and shuddered, sending his release deep within Skinner’s body, his cry muted against the older man’s shoulder. He collapsed against his new husband with a grateful sigh, pressing kisses against the bite, his arms wrapped tightly around the muscular body in his arms. One hand drifted down to find the beginnings of a second erection and he laughed softly.

"What’s this? Again?" he teased. "Walter, don’t you ever try to tell me that you are an old man – you have the libido of a teen."

"Good thing," Skinner retorted. "As fond as you are of pinning me to the mattress."

"I seem to recall being pinned with equal enthusiasm." Mulder sighed contentedly and pressed another lazy kiss against Skinner’s shoulder before refastening his pants and helping the older man straighten his clothes. He took Skinner back into his arms, kissing him. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

Skinner smiled in the dark. "I think you’ve made that pretty clear." And, as he pulled his new life-mate closer to demonstrate just how much Mulder was loved in return, any watchers in the dark – if there were any – would have been certain of that fact as well.

 

* * *

 

**Year 6: Requiem**

"Fox? I've been looking for you."

Mulder was sitting on the rail, staring off into the woods in the growing dark of the evening, and didn't respond with their usual quip. Skinner slowly crossed the deck to stand behind his lover, gently ruffling the younger man's hair.

They had taken the first flight back after the funeral and had driven straight here after landing at the airport. Skinner had changed once they reached the cabin and had lit a fire in the fireplace, but Mulder was still dressed in his dark suit although he had loosened his tie.

Mulder leaned back slightly, closing his eyes as he leaned on his life-partner for support. "I can't believe she's gone," he murmured, helplessly. "We didn't have the best relationship, but I always thought there would be time…" He swallowed hard.

"I know," Skinner said quietly. "We never really expect that it will happen to those we love."

"I did love her, no matter how often we argued. And she loved me. Why did we have such a hard time saying it?"

"Those are three of the hardest words to say," Skinner said softly, his hands slowly massaging his husband’s tight shoulders. "We all fear rejection – even from our parents. Especially from our parents."

"She hardly ever approved of me, and she certainly wasn’t thrilled about _us_." Mulder’s voice was tight. "When she didn’t even come to our ceremony – I couldn’t forgive her for that. I wanted her to come to _me_ first. A year, Walter. I wasted a whole year. And now, and now she’ll never…"

Skinner grasped Mulder’s shoulders, turning the younger man to face him, and said gently, "I know. And it’s okay to cry."

A stifled gasp broke free and Mulder buried his face against his husband’s shoulder, his arms going around Skinner as wrenching sobs wracked his body. Skinner held him close, murmuring words of comfort and rubbing his back soothingly, relieved to see the tears breaking free. He knew it was hard for the younger man to give in to his grief in front of anyone else, even him. Mulder was more likely to deflect emotions with a sarcastic quip or with stoic silence. He had been silent, locked tight within himself, ever since the call had come that Teena Mulder had suffered a final, fatal stroke. And all through the trip and the funeral the walls had remained up, keeping everyone at a distance. Except at night, when the nightmares that Skinner thought had been long banished once again claimed Mulder in their grip.

Skinner could feel the storm ending and turned his head to gently kiss his husband’s cheek. Mulder turned into the kiss, his mouth opening to devour the older man’s with a fervor that spoke of equal parts desire and the need for life’s reassurance. Skinner surrendered to him willingly, letting his lover take the lead, take what he needed. Arching under the driving body as they made love on the living room floor, his every touch and whispered word of pleasure sent reassurance to the man who was his heart’s blood that life still went on and that love was enduring.

Mulder cried out as ecstasy claimed him, a wordless reply to his lover’s affirmation, and collapsed into the arms waiting to claim him. Tears were shed again, but these were gentle tears acknowledging loss without self-blame, healing tears. And as he lay dozing, cherished and comforted in his lover’s arms, the rising night breezes brushed over his damp cheeks with all the tenderness of a mother’s kiss.

* * *

 

**Year 7 - Humoresque**

Mulder sighed and leaned back as comfortably as possible given the fact that his left leg was enclosed in plaster from his ankle to his hip. Skinner heard the sigh and paused to drop a kiss on Mulder's head.

"You okay, Mulder?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm doing fine. I'm doing great," Mulder said sarcastically, looking over at his lover. "And it's unfair for you to be running around looking like that."

Skinner had been doing some repairs around the cabin and had stripped to his shorts, work boots, and tool belt. He grinned as he leaned back against the railing, taking a long pull off his beer. "Problem, babe?"

"I'm horny!" Mulder wailed.

Skinner couldn't help laughing at the plaintive sound. "Mulder, I distinctly recall giving you a blow job last night."

"That was before you started running around in all this gorgeous flesh," Mulder said crossly. "Besides, I don't want a blow job. Or a hand job. I want to get fucked."

"Well, you're screwed then, aren't you, sweetheart?"

Mulder gave him a one-finger salute and a drop-dead look. "Ha-ha. Very funny."

"Practically speaking, of course." Skinner surveyed the encased leg and shook his head. "Hell, you can't bend any part of your body enough to accommodate that. And if you think I'm putting it up on my shoulder, you're insane. That thing must weight a ton."

Mulder gave him a withering look. "Thanks for your support, big guy."

"Don't mention it," Skinner said cheerfully. He was trying to avoid noticing the bulge in his own shorts that the thought of fucking Mulder had aroused. It had been almost a month since they had had anal sex. Preparing for the assault on the last Consortium stronghold had occupied much of their time at the beginning of the month. While mopping up the remaining holdouts after a successful assault, an unseen sniper had nicked the femoral artery in one of Mulder’s legs. He'd been stabilized and airlifted out, but it had been touch and go for two weeks during which Mulder had undergone two surgeries to repair torn tissue and ligaments. Even after his leg was encased so that the pinned bone could heal, it had been another week before the hospital had agreed to release him to Skinner’s care.

Skinner had brought Mulder here to the cabin for some well-deserved rest before the next phase of the clean-up process - exposing the collaborators both in this country and worldwide. For a week, Mulder had been too wiped out to do more than sleep but now that he was healing, it was apparent that his libido was healing as well.

Mulder sulked. "But I want you so badly. Can't you think of _something_?"

His lover's sulky pout was doing its job - combined with the hand that now was running up and down the front of Skinner's shorts. His erection was definitely making itself known and the breath he drew in was shaky. "Well, I suppose we could try something - "

Mulder's eyes lit up eagerly. "What? I'll try anything."

With feelings of trepidation, Skinner hauled Mulder up out of the chair and handed him a crutch. "Okay, if you lean on the railing and support that leg with the crutch, we might be able to do this."

Mulder looked doubtful – even with the crutch his balance wasn’t very stable – but was willing to try anything about now. Reaching the deck railing, he braced himself with the crutch and one hand on the railing.

Skinner was right behind him, wrapping one arm around Mulder’s waist for stability as he pressed up tight against his lover.

"Mmm.," Mulder murmured encouragingly as Skinner nuzzled his neck, closing his eyes and tilting his head for better access. Unfortunately, he also tilted his body and lost his balance. "Shit – help!"

Skinner caught him before he toppled onto the deck. "Let’s try spreading your legs further for balance."

"Ow! I’m not a wishbone, Walter."

"Damn it, Mulder – stick out your ass and lean forward. Not that way, idiot! Your ass _towards_ me, your chest toward the railing. There – comfortable?"

"Am I supposed to be?"

"Look, do you want to do this or not?" Skinner said in exasperation.

"Sorry. Okay, where were we?" He closed his eyes with a blissful sigh as Skinner resumed feasting on his neck and shoulders while one of his lover’s large hands caressed his chest and moved down towards his groin. "Mmm. Oh, yeah. Oh – Ow! Easy, Walter – there’s valuable assets in there."

Skinner struggled with the string securing Mulder’s sweatpants. "The damn thing is knotted."

"Let me try – shit!" Mulder grabbed for the railing, stabilizing himself again. "Use two hands." He groaned as his lover’s hands inadvertently brushed over his erection. "Fuck it, Walter – just tear the damn things!"

"Got it," Skinner muttered, untangling the tie and yanking the offending pants down and out of the way, thankful that Mulder had decided against struggling into boxers that morning. His hand grasped his lover’s hand firmly.

"Ow! What the hell have you been doing – your hand’s like sandpaper!"

Skinner sighed. "Hang on, babe. I’ll be right back."

Mulder braced himself on the railing and sighed, wondering if it was worth it. Here he was, standing in the open breeze with his pants around his knees, horny as hell with an erection the size of a redwood, and his lover sounded like he was rearranging the bathroom cabinets.

"Don’t forget the lube!" he shouted, turning his head towards the cabin door. He sighed again and hoped that Skinner would hurry. It was damn uncomfortable standing here with his legs jacked apart…Shit! The slick bottom of his cast was slowly sliding across the surface of the deck, forcing him toward a full split that he was morally certain Man wasn’t meant to do.

"Walter! Help!"

Skinner came out of the cabin at a dead run, dropping the items in his hands as he saw his lover’s predicament. "It’s okay, babe – I got you." He eased Mulder back up into a more comfortable position. "Mulder, are you _sure_ you want to do this?"

Mulder gritted his teeth. "We are going to do this if it _kills_ us."

Skinner sighed and took the precaution of positioning a plant tub next to his lover’s encased foot to keep him from sliding again, then retrieved the discarded items. After moisturizing his roughened hands, he took the precaution of discarding his own shorts before snuggling back up to his lover and taking Mulder’s flagging cock back in hand.

Mulder sighed blissfully and leaned back against his lover’s sturdy chest as he felt Skinner’s hardening cock press against his ass. "Yeah. Feels _so_ good." Skinner’s hand stroked him with expert skill and he sighed again, grinding his ass against the older man’s groin. "Want you so bad, Walter."

Skinner groaned in response. "Hang on, Mulder. Need the lube." He let go of his lover and looked for the tube but couldn't find it. Puzzled, he looked around by their feet, then saw it sticking out from under Mulder's cast. Swearing, he shifted Mulder's foot again and picked up the squashed tube. With a sigh, he held it up for Mulder to see.

Impatiently, Mulder said, "Well, get another one."

"This was the last one. I planned to get more when I went shopping later."

Mulder groaned and leaned forward, resting his head against the railing. "Why do I get the feeling everything is against us?"

"Well, there's always the virgin olive oil."

The shaking of Mulder's shoulders told him that his lover had succumbed to silent laughter and he pulled the younger man up into an embrace. "Fox, have I ever told you that I love you?"

Through his chuckles, Mulder said, "God, I hope so. Otherwise I'd have to kill you. I love you, too." He sighed. "Well, so much for that idea."

"And I thought you said you dated a Boy Scout leader. Didn't you ever learn how to improvise?" Skinner picked up the bottle of skin lotion and Mulder burst out laughing.

"Well, at least the skin of your penis will be soft."

Between their laughter, Skinner somehow got Mulder prepared and slid home with a satisfied sigh. "Okay, Mulder. Whatever you do, don't move. Let me do all the work."

"So do it already," Mulder said, gritting his teeth together in an effort to keep from rocking backward.

"Bitch, bitch, bitch." Holding onto Mulder's hips, he began cautiously thrusting as he warily watched the cast for any sign that it was being displaced by the movement. Seeing that everything was staying in place, he let himself go, thrusting swiftly into his eager lover. They rocked together, both of them panting at their exertions.

"God, so good - Walter - "

" _Yes_ ," Skinner gasped, rocking hard against the younger man, and then he felt his body explode outward. Mulder screamed and Skinner felt the shuddering throughout the younger man's body as he came hard, then Skinner felt himself collapse on Mulder's back.

They stood, panting and catching their breath, and then Mulder started to laugh.

"What?" Skinner asked warily, having had previous experience with Mulder's sense of humor.

"Are we pathetic or what? Making out on the back deck like two horny teens."

"It was _your_ idea, Mulder," Skinner pointed out, then smiled and kissed the back of Mulder's neck as he said softly, "And if I'm going to be pathetic, at least I've got good company."

* * *

 

**Year 10 - Fanfare for an Uncommon Man**

Skinner stood on the deck staring out at the woods, beer in one hand as he relaxed and enjoyed the cool evening breezes. He was aware a general internal feeling of satisfaction. He had spent the day puttering around the cabin, fixing things that had been neglected while he and Mulder were occupied with the last of the clean up from the Colonization effort. It was finally over - the last conspirator uncovered, the last Senate hearing finished. On the desk in his office lay his letter of resignation, just waiting for his signature on Monday morning. And then what would he do? He took another swallow from his bottle, ruefully admitting that that depended on Mulder and the outcome of his meeting in New York.

He decided to try Mulder’s phone again and this time there was an answer after the second ring.

"Fox? I've been looking for you." There was no answer from the other end and he said, teasingly, "What - no prize for finding you?" He heard a tired sigh from the other end of the phone and he said, concerned, "Are you okay, Mulder? How did your meeting go?"

"Walter, did you know what this meeting was about?"

Some inner instinct warned him to be cautious. "I had a vague idea," he said slowly. "I told them they needed to talk with you, that it was your decision."

"You think I should do it, don't you?"

"I think you should do what you want to do."

"Walter, don't bullshit me. You think I should."

Skinner drew a deep breath, recognizing the storm signals but bound to follow his conscience on this. "Yes."

"Damn it, Walter! Do you know what you're asking? That's four - no, five years of my life - not counting re-election. _Our_ life. I thought that I could take it easy now."

Skinner closed his eyes and counted to ten, something he had learned was necessary to keep from strangling his stubborn lover. "And do what? Retire? Take up model building and shuffleboard? You'd go crazy in a month."

Mulder’s voice paused, seemingly stumped for a moment. "I could write a book or go on the lecture circuit."

Skinner snorted. "Sure. And do the talk shows. I can just see you now. Why are you so against this idea?"

"This isn't the way I work, Walter. I operate outside the system - if I agreed to run, I'd become part of it."

"Really? I thought this was _exactly_ how you worked - go into the system and fix it from the inside out. It's what you did at the Bureau."

"I haven't got the kind of experience for this. I'm not a politician."

"The people don't want a politician - that's who got them into this mess to begin with. They want someone they can trust. Someone who does the right thing, no matter the personal cost. Someone who can't be bought or coerced."

Mulder snorted derisively on the other end of the phone. "The _people_ don't even know about this. The _politicians_ want name recognition – they tried to do this same shit after the Gulf War. They don’t know what I stand for and they don’t care. They just want someone they can exploit." Mulder’s voice suddenly sounded weary. "I'm tired of being exploited, Walter. I want to live my own life now. Maybe teach."

"And what about everything you fought so hard to prove? If you walk away now, if there isn't anyone at the top who's got the balls to stand up and refuse to back down, the holes will be filled with the same sort of people and it will all be wasted."

"I think you overestimate the power of the office, Walter," Mulder’s voice said dryly.

"No. I think you can do anything you set your mind to. I think they underestimate _you_."

Stubbornly, Mulder said, "What about you? If I do this, you won’t be able to keep your job."

Skinner shrugged. "I was planning to retire anyway. And I expect I’ll find plenty to keep me busy."

He could hear the sudden chuckle in Mulder’s voice and imagined that the man’s eyes twinkling wickedly. "Oh yeah, I can just see you hosting teas for the DAR, appearing at charity balls, touring children’s wings at hospitals."

"Actually, I was thinking more of VA hospitals and AIDS hospices," Skinner said thoughtfully. "And there are still five states where what we do is illegal, despite the federal rulings – I expect that I’d be working on Gay Rights issues."

"Speaking of which, have you thought about how tough this is going to be? Do you seriously think this country is going to elect a gay president?"

"Five years ago, even three years ago – no. Today – if it was anyone less well known – no. I think _you_ could do it. You’ve got the name recognition and popular support. Why not try it? What have we got to lose? We’re already Out, we’re both quitting the Bureau, neither of us has family left to be hurt, and our friends have been through worse."

"You _are_ thinking about this seriously, aren’t you?"

Skinner shrugged and decided to try to lighten the mood. "I like the idea of new challenges to tackle. And, of course, the idea of sleeping with the most powerful man in the Free World is very – erotic."

Mulder laughed and Skinner could hear bedsprings settling under him. "Ah, I should have known that you’re a power junkie." His voice dropped to the sultry tone that sent shivers up Skinner’s spine. "So, how long have you had this fantasy about screwing the president?"

Skinner snorted. "I’m not going there. Or having phone sex with you."

"Come on, Walter. How many people have the opportunity to have phone sex with their next president?"

"Considering some of the past presidents, that’s not a good question to ask."

"I miss you." Mulder’s voice was soft, sincere, and it stirred a wave of longing within Skinner.

"I miss you, too. When are you coming home?"

"Not soon enough. I’ve got a flight back in the morning."

"Good. I’ll meet you at the airport."

"Don’t do that. I left my car at long-term parking – I’ll pick it up and head up to the cabin. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll catch you while you’re still in bed."

Dryly, Skinner said, "I’ll sleep in late, just for you."

"Speaking of which, what are you wearing?"

Skinner laughed, shaking his head. Mulder never gave up. "Well, considering that I just finished working on the cabin, I think you can guess."

"Mmm. Either those really tight cut-off shorts or the overalls."

"The overalls."

"Anything underneath?"

"What do you think?"

"I think I’ll picture you with nothing under them." Mulder’s voice was dreamy and Skinner heard the rustle of fabric on the other end as Mulder got comfortable on the hotel bed.

"Dream on, Mulder."

"And you’re sitting out on the deck, your legs stretched out in front of you, watching the sunset."

Skinner chuckled. "Well, _that_ part you got right." Mulder chuckled on the other end but Skinner thought that the man’s voice sounded tired. "Mulder, did you get _any_ sleep last night?"

There was a deep sigh. "And you know _me_ too well." Softly, his voice said, "I don’t sleep well without you."

Skinner felt his throat tighten and was amazed that, after ten years, the other man still had the power to do this to him. With gruff tenderness, he said, "So, what are _you_ wearing?"

Surprised but delighted laughter sounded on the other end of the phone. "Too much."

"Strip. Now." He heard the phone drop onto the mattress and rustling in the background before a breathless voice was back on the phone.

"Okay. I’m naked."

"Lay on your back on the bed and spread your legs wide. Now lick your fingers – get them good and wet – and pinch up one of your nipples." He knew from past experience that Mulder’s nipples were very sensitive and heard the other man groan on the other end of the phone. "Get them good and hard, Mulder. Close your eyes and imagine that it’s my hands, my mouth making them hard."

Mulder’s voice groaned. "God, Walter, I wish it _was_ you. I wish you were here, touching me, fucking me. It’s been too damn long."

Mulder’s words went straight to Skinner’s cock. "For me, too, babe."

"Touch yourself, Walter," his lover’s voice said huskily. "I want to picture you like that."

Skinner switched the phone to the other hand as he unfastened one side of the overalls and slid his hand down to cup his genitals through his briefs. The pressure, light as it was, made him groan. "Mulder…"

"I’m stroking my cock, Walter, and I’m imagining it’s you doing this. Your hand squeezing me, sliding slowly up and down."

Skinner could picture that, too, and he slid his hand into his briefs to grasp his own cock, stroking it. "Faster, Mulder," he gasped. "Need more."

Mulder groaned on the other end of the phone, and Skinner heard the other man making the little noises that drove him crazy. His imagination supplied a picture of Mulder lying naked on a hotel bed, head rocked back and skin flushed as he fisted himself. Skinner heard himself groan and felt the tell-tale tightening through his body.

"Mulder - close - "

He heard the catch of Mulder's breath and a sudden gasp of his name, and it was too much. He was coming hard, Mulder's name a groan on his lips, and it was beautiful, almost perfect with the sounds of Mulder's own groans in his ear. Almost. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if Mulder had been here in person.

His arms suddenly ached with loss, wanting, no, needing to wrap themselves around the center of his universe. He cradled the phone closer, smiling slightly as he heard a sated sigh on the other end. "How are you feeling, babe?"

"Better," came the murmured response. "Maybe I can sleep."

"You do that," Skinner said. There was a sleepy chuckle on the other end and, involuntarily, he smiled. "What?"

"Just trying to picture you in a red dress and pearls at the Inaugural Ball."

His heart was suddenly suffused with love and laughter, and he realized that distance didn't matter. They could never be truly apart. "Idiot," he growled affectionately. "Go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow."

"’Night, Walter. Love you."

Skinner sat holding the silent phone for a long moment, aware that there was a foolish and fond smile on his face but not caring in the least.

* * *

 

**Year 14 - Pastorale**

Skinner lay stretched out in the hammock on the back deck, rocking lazily and enjoying the early spring sunshine. It was a beautiful day, a great day to lay back and do nothing. A day to enjoy the peace and quiet of the mountains, a peace only occasionally disturbed by the sound of a distant passing car. Or the soft whisper of surveillance helicopter blades. Or the non-melodic and muffled squawk of mikes as discreetly placed Secret Service agents routinely checked in with their team leader. Or the continual ringing of the phone and the irritating jangle of the fax machine. Skinner growled and pulled a pillow over his head.

"Walter? I've been looking for you."

From under the pillow, Skinner growled, "You found me. I'll give you a prize if you'll go away and leave me alone."

Mulder plucked the pillow off his husband's face and grinned down at the scowling visage. "Sounds like you're pissed about something. Get up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"No," Skinner said with awful sarcasm. "I _always_ prefer to start my vacations being interrupted in the middle of seriously spectacular sex by a 300-lb gorilla pounding on the door and demanding to know if 'Mr. President' is all right! My heart may never recover - not to mention our bedroom door."

Mulder laughed and ruefully shook his head. "Sorry, Walter. Someone forgot to inform the new guy to ignore any screaming from our bedroom."

"Oh, it's fine for you to laugh - you'd already gotten your rocks off. I was _this_ close, Mulder. Now I don't think I'll be able to have sex for _years_. My balls are still hiding up inside."

Mulder grinned and reached over to caress the front of Skinner's shorts. "I could make it up to you."

"Are you _crazy_? There are agents all over the place, Mulder. Agents with walkie-talkies and hi-powered binoculars. I am _not_ going to be the subject of the next Secret Service bull session." Despite himself, his sense of humor began to reassert itself. "After all, we First Ladies have to maintain our dignity."

Mulder snorted. "Too late - Jumbo's already seen your bare ass." He leered at Skinner. "And it's an exceptionally fine ass. Move over."

Skinner sighed and scooted over slightly to allow Mulder to join him in the oversized hammock. "All right, but no sex. Keep your wandering hands to yourself."

"Is this any way to treat your Commander-in-chief? Where's the dignity due to my office?"

Skinner snorted. "You forget - I've seen you in the morning before your shower. It's not a pretty sight. And not for the weak of stomach."

Mulder laughed but snuggled into Skinner's shoulder, wrapping his arm around his husband's waist. "This is nice," he said contentedly.

"Very nice," Skinner replied. "This is what I thought we were _supposed_ to be doing this weekend."

"Sorry, big guy," Mulder said with a sigh. "It's this damn bill we're getting ready to send to Congress. It's got the staff a little crazy. I promise to make it up to you, okay? Nothing on my agenda but you for the rest of the afternoon." He lifted his head, leaning over to kiss Skinner tenderly on the lips.

Mollified, Skinner returned the kiss, deepening it as Mulder's mouth opened under his. He was just starting to relax into it when a distant ringing brought him back out to the real world.

"Mulder, your phone."

Mulder sighed and pulled back, reaching into his pocket. "Yes? No, I told you that's unacceptable. There's no point in taking this to Congress if we aren't prepared to be serious about it." He listened. "I don't _care_ if it costs us election votes. We're not here to win a popularity contest, we're here to get the job done."

He disconnected and looked ruefully at Skinner. "Sorry. Now, where were we?"

Skinner pulled him down. "Right about here." He kissed Mulder, deeply and passionately, and had the satisfaction of hearing Mulder groan. His hand caressed Mulder's back, sliding downward to cup a tight ass - and heard the annoying ring again.

Mulder rolled over onto his back, fishing out the phone and snapped into it, "Yes?" Skinner noted with satisfaction that Mulder was now looking as frustrated as he felt. "Yes, I talked with Lewis and no, I won't agree to the changes. We need this legislation and we've got the votes. Now, if you don't mind, I'm on _vacation_." With a growl, Mulder disconnected and lobbed the phone over his shoulder, off the deck and into the bushes.

Skinner chuckled. "So _that's_ what happened to all those phones of yours."

Mulder glared at him and kissed him fiercely, wrapping his arms around the older man and pulling their bodies closely together. Unfortunately, he moved too quickly and the hammock swung, spilling him out onto the deck.

Horrified, Skinner stopped the swinging hammock and leaned over to look down at his lover. "Mulder, are you all right?"

To his surprise, Mulder lay on his back on the deck, laughing his head off. Skinner's lips twitched and he found himself chuckling as well.

"Well, Walter, there's nothing like a vacation in the country for relaxation."

Skinner grinned. "You get any more relaxed and you'll be in the hospital."

Mulder held out his hand. "Come on down here, big guy." Skinner hesitated. "Live dangerously, Walter. Or do I have to make that an executive order?"

Skinner took his hand and let Mulder pull him down on the deck with him. "All right, but you're on top this time. If anyone's naked butt shows up on national TV, it should be yours."

Mulder laughed and pulled his lover down on top of him. 

* * *

 

 

**Year 18 - Cadenza**

Skinner set down the bags and glanced over at the man collapsed on the couch. "Well, Fox, alone at last."

Mulder's mouth twisted slightly. "Except for our Secret Service friends outside." He sighed and held out his hand. "Come here, you."

Skinner joined him on the couch, taking the younger man into his arms. "You okay, babe?"

Mulder nodded. "Just - a little bit at a loss. I just realized that - for the first time since I left Oxford - I have no plans. I mean I spent twenty-something years with the Bureau, and the past nine years with the campaign and the office. So what now?"

"Well, for starters, this." Skinner stretched out on the couch, settling Mulder against his chest. "You're going to take it easy for a little while. Sleep in late, read a few good books, take long walks."

"Take up shuffleboard? Aren't you the man that told me I'd go nuts in a month without anything to do?"

"Oh, I intend to keep you busy," Skinner said with a grin, his hand skimming down Mulder's chest to stroke his groin. "Make up for a little lost time."

Mulder rolled over within his arms, propping himself up on Skinner's chest to grin down at his lover. "Yeah?" he asked provocatively. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"If you can't tell what I'm trying to do, then it has _definitely_ been too long."

Mulder chuckled and leaned down to kiss his life-mate lovingly and long. "Walter?"

"Mmm?" Skinner was busy kissing his way down Mulder's neck while his hands pulled his lover's shirt out of his waistband in search of skin.

"Have I ever told you 'thanks'?"

Skinner pulled back, looking into Mulder's face questioningly. "For what?"

"For sticking with me for the past eighteen years. I know it hasn't been easy, that I'm not the easiest person in the world to live with. And the past ten years in the spotlight hasn't been easy for you."

Skinner shook his head. "You've got it wrong, Fox. The past years with you have been the best of my life - it was the time before you came into my life that was hard for me."

He kissed Mulder, gently and tenderly. His lover's lips were as sweet and as warm as the first time, and just as intoxicating. Lips parted under his, allowing him access to leisurely explore his lover's mouth, and it was a heady feast for the senses. Mulder tasted of wine and spices and his own unique flavor, and Skinner thought he could live on these kisses alone. Mulder sighed and shifted slightly, angling his head for deeper kisses, and Skinner fell into the velvet darkness without a second thought. The warm and vital body in his arms and the headiness of the kisses he was taking were enough to make him forget all else.

He released his lover's mouth, reluctantly, and let his lips explore the contours of the younger man's face. Each inch was mapped again, as if it was the first time. Eyelids, forehead, cheeks, chin - all were lovingly caressed before he returned to the enticing mouth, drawn like a moth to light. He felt the probe of a questioning tongue and opened his mouth readily, allowing his lover access. Mulder's kisses alternated between gentle and insistent, relearning all his secrets, and Skinner willingly surrendered all that he was, all that he would ever be.

Mulder gently broke the kiss, laying his head down on Skinner's chest. "Thank you," he murmured.

Skinner laughed softly and wrapped his arms around his lover. "The pleasure was at least fifty percent mine." He felt the yawn and glanced down to see hazel eyes slipping shut, only to force themselves open. His heart melted - it had been a long day for the man in his arms, wrapping up the final details of his administration before turning over his office to his successor. Combined with the inevitable see-sawing of emotions, he wasn't surprised that Mulder was exhausted.

"Sleep, sweetheart," he murmured softly. "You've earned it. Tomorrow is soon enough to plan for the future."

Mulder murmured an endearment under his breath and his eyes slid shut. Within a few minutes, his breathing slowed as he drifted into sleep.

Skinner held him close, smiling up into the dark, and silently sent his own thanks out to whoever controlled the destinies of lovers and fools.

* * *

 

**Year 20 Reprise - Postlude**

Skinner looked at the man standing beside him. His lover, friend, husband, life-mate. Twenty years and a smile could still make his heart turn over, a kiss could turn his knees to water, and sex became a near death experience. A strong man, a good man, one he had been proud to stand beside. He had no idea what lay before them or how many years they had left, but he knew that there would be more joy than sorrow. And, if Mulder had anything to say about it, they would not be bored.

Mulder contentedly snuggled back into his lover's warmth. "It's been a hell of a ride."

"Been? It’s not over yet, babe - not by a long shot."

"Feeling your oats, Walter? But you're _still_ a chicken-shit."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Mulder squawked as his lover abruptly swung him up into his arms. "Walter, you idiot! I'm too heavy - put me down!"

"Not a chance." Skinner headed towards the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Reliving some old memories, babe - and creating new ones."

The End

**Author's Note:**

> The Variations: Year 1) looooong and slow, First Time; Year 2) hot and fast, PWP; Year 3) Angst; Year 4) Pt 1 - dialog only, Pt 2 - no dialog; Year 5) Public sex; Year 6) Comfort sex; Year 7) Humor; Year 10) Phone sex; Year 14) Coitus Interruptus; Year 18) kissing only; Year 20) fade to black.
> 
> Musical Definitions - in the Order in which they appear
> 
> Variation - a repetition of a theme with changes in melody, rhythm, or harmony.  
> Prelude - a work that comes before another section of work, usually a short passage followed by a change in tempo.
> 
> Fugue - a contrapuntal composition. A fugue is hard to define. The easiest but least technical way is to picture two singers or two instruments. The first plays melodic theme A and the second answers by playing the same melodic line but slightly transposed or altered (on a different type instrument or different key or up a fifth, for example). While the second plays theme A, the first continues playing an accompanying theme A2. When the first part is finished, there is a "bridge" that leads to a new melodic theme B. As the fugue continues, the melodic themes are overlapped or sometimes there is a sustained note below the other parts. Think of a musical debate - point, counterpoint, switch to secondary argument, point, and counterpoint. For musical examples, John Williams' Star Wars scores come close. Technically the writing of fugue is an important element in the training of composers. (And they told you that slash fiction would never teach you anything)
> 
> Badinerie - light-hearted teasing  
> Obbligato - a part of a musical composition that cannot be omitted  
> Nocturne - night music  
> Aubade - morning song  
> Allemande - moderately paced dance  
> Courante - rapid dance movement following an Allemande, similar to a jig  
> Requiem - the first words of the Catholic Mass for the Dead contain this word, which is generally used to mean a funereal piece  
> Humoresque - a very short, light-hearted piece generally set between two serious acts of an opera or other work as a comic interlude  
> Fanfare - flourish of trumpets and other instruments for ceremonial purposes  
> Pastorale - a piece idealizing a fanciful (and unrealistic) view of "simple country life"  
> Cadenza - a final cadence leading to the last section of the movement  
> Postlude - closing section or end piece of a musical work


End file.
